ISLAMABAD: United States (US) Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce visited the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to introduce the wide range of state department education and exchange opportunities that the US embassy offers to Pakistani citizens. Royce met with HEC Chairman Prof Dr Tariq Banuri and discussed the continuing educational partnership between the US and Pakistani governments, including the fulbright programme. Dr. Banuri shared HEC’s plans with the visiting delegation to create a culture of quality in Pakistani higher education sector through scholarly interaction among US and Pakistani faculty and administrators. The fulbright is the US government’s flagship academic exchange programme and owing to contributions of both the US and Pakistani governments, Pakistan’s programme is one of the largest in the world. The United States Educational Foundation administers the fulbright programme in Pakistan. Royce also met with USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar. She also spoke to 156 Pakistanis preparing to depart for the US, where they will pursue advanced studies and research in the fulbright’s masters, PhD and fulbright language teaching assistant programmes. She gave opening remarks to 210 alumni of US exchange programmes at the Pakistan-US Alumni Network international conference, which included eight Afghani alumni. The US Embassy’s Regional English Language Office sponsors numerous English language initiatives for students and teachers, and Royce met participants at one of those programmes: a two-week workshop for 40 female madrassa teachers from across Pakistan. Royce also visited the Pakistan National Council for the Arts, where she met Executive Director Jamal Shah and admired the work of some of Pakistan’s best-known artists.